How Italy Celebrates Easter

Easter is one of the most important celebrations in the Christian religion.  It is celebrated somewhat differently in different parts of the world. In Italy, an overwhelmingly Catholic country, it is known as Pasqua and is one of the biggest celebrations of the year. The Holy Week, which culminates in Easter, follows the somber weeks of Lent, so beginning on Good Friday and continuing through Monday, or la Pasquetta, Easter becomes a true festival.

One of the grandest Easter celebrations in the world occurs in Rome. Tens of thousands of people take the pilgrimage to Rome and the Vatican for Holy Week, which culminates in Easter services in St Peter’s Square. The grandeur begins on Good Friday when the Pope follows the torch-lit Stations of the Cross, or Via Crucis from the Coliseum to Palatine Hill. Saturday night is a late night mass in St Peter’s Basilica. At 10:15 on Easter Sunday, the Pope delivers mass to huge masses of people crowding St. Peter’s Square, spilling out into the streets surrounding the Vatican.

The tradition of the “Scoppio del Carro,” or Burst of the Carriage, in Florence, began in 1099 during the First Crusade. This ritual, in which a huge, decorated cart is pulled through the city by white oxen into the square in front of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore and il Duomo. At 11:00, during Gloria in Excelsis Deo, the Archbishop delivers a traditional Easter mass. Following this, he launches a dove-shaped rocket into the cart, setting off a massive display of fireworks. Finally, a parade of people wearing medieval costumes winds back through the city. This is one of the most spectacular Easter celebrations in Italy.

In nearby Grassina, on Good Friday, there is a passion play and procession that not only commemorates the tradition of Good Friday, but celebrates this city being spared when the plague wiped out Florence in the 17th century. The people of the town dress up in historic costumes and wind up the hill of Cavalry outside of town where a full enactment of the Passion and Death of Christ is performed. The re-enactment last for about two hours beginning at 9:30 and does require a ticket, which can be purchased at the box office in Florence.

What may be the oldest procession on Good Friday is in the town of Chieti, in the Abruzzo region. This region lies on the east coast, opposite Rome. The procession features the performance of Selecchi’s Miserere performed by 100 violins. This procession, which dates back to 842 AD, features different congregations marching through the streets wearing hoods and carrying the stations of the cross. It begins at the Cathedral San Giustina at around 7pm and lasts until almost midnight. Locals buy pizza and focaccia to eat while waiting for the procession to pass by.

In Sulmona, a town of around 25,000 people also in the Abruzzo region, there are two different processions celebrating Easter. The Procession of the Dead Christ occurs on Good Friday and has traditional red robes walking from Holy Trinity Church at 7pm and following a brass band playing dead marches. This is followed by a choir, a priest with Christ’s coffin and finally a Statue of the Virgin. The Madonna running in the Square or Madonna che Scappa in Piazza begins midday on Sunday. Priests carrying statues of St. Peter and St. John are carried through the square toward St. Philip Church. The statue of the Virgin emerges, and the two saints follow her until she sees Christ. At this point, the celebration begins with pigeons flying and fireworks set off.

The city of Enna, in Sicily, has a parade of over 3,000 friars dressed in historic costumes walking through the city. The processions are held on every day of Holy Week, but the one on Good Friday lasts 24 hours. This tradition has lasted since the 1600’s and culminates with the Passion of Christ. Caltanisetta and Prizzi on Sicily also hold ancient and colorful Good Friday and Easter celebrations. In Prizzi, people dressed as the devil and death roam the city pulling pranks on people. This is ended by the Dance of the Devils where ultimately good overcomes evil.

On Monday, also known as La Pasquetta, there are lots of free concerts and celebrations throughout Italy.  It is a popular day for family dinners, bbq’s and outdoor picnics.  Tables are often decorated with Easter eggs and fresh flowers.  Many traditional feasts include goat or lamb, fresh vegetables such as artichoke, swiss chard and asparagus and home baked Easter breads and pies.  One interesting food related tradition is in the town of Panicale where they race with big wheels of cheese.

If you are thinking of visiting Italy in the spring, Holy Week is very crowded, but the tradition of Easter is celebrated there like no place else on earth. There are still a few available space on Italy tours if you wish to go this year, the bigger challenge however may be finding reasonably priced airfare.

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